[[email protected] ~]$ flume shell -c hadoop48
[flume hadoop48:35873:45678] exec config co1 'collectorSource( 35853 )' 'collectorSink( "hdfs://hadoop48:54310/user/flume/%y%m/%d","test-",5000,seqfile)'
[id: 7] Execing command : config
Command succeeded

[flume hadoop48:35873:45678] exec config 'collectorSource( 35853 )', 'collectorSink( "hdfs://hadoop48:54310/user/flume/%y%m/%d",'test-',5000)'
Failed to run command 'exec config 'collectorSource( 35853 )', 'collectorSink( "hdfs://hadoop48:54310/user/flume/%y%m/%d",'test-',5000)'' due to null
2013-01-23 18:46:57,811 [main] ERROR util.FlumeShell: Failed to run command 'exec config 'collectorSource( 35853 )', 'collectorSink( "hdfs://hadoop48:54310/user/flume/%y%m/%d",'test-',5000)''
[flume hadoop48:35873:45678] exec config 'collectorSource( 35853 )' 'collectorSink( "hdfs://hadoop48:54310/user/flume/%y%m/%d","test-",5000)'
[id: 5] Execing command : config
Command failed
null

[flume hadoop48:35873:45678] exec config ag1 tail('/home/zhouhh/cars.csv') console
Failed to run command 'exec config ag1 tail('/home/zhouhh/cars.csv') console' due to null
2013-01-23 18:37:58,794 [main] ERROR util.FlumeShell: Failed to run command 'exec config ag1 tail('/home/zhouhh/cars.csv') console'
[flume hadoop48:35873:45678] exec config co1 'collectorSource( 35853 )' 'collectorSink( "hdfs://hadoop48:54310/user/flume/%y%m/%d","test-",5000)'
[id: 6] Execing command : config
Command succeeded

[flume hadoop48:35873:45678] help
I know about these commands:

connect host[:adminport=35873[:reportport=45678]]
exec (requires a command and arguments)
exec config node 'source' 'sink'
exec decommission logicalnode
exec map physicalnode logicalnode
exec multiconfig 'spec'
exec noop [delaymillis (no arg means no wait)]
exec refresh 'spec'
exec refreshAll
exec setChokeLimit physicalnode chokeid limit
exec spawn physicalnode logicalnode (synonym for exec map. deprecated.)
exec unmap physicalnode logicalnode
exec unmapAll
getconfigs
getmappings [physical node]
getnodestatus
getreports
help
quit
source load a file and execute flume shell commands in it
submit (requires a command and arguments)
submit config node 'source' 'sink'
submit decommission logicalnode
submit map physicalnode logicalnode
submit multiconfig 'spec'
submit noop
submit refresh 'spec'
submit refreshAll
submit spawn physicalnode logicalnode (synonym for submit map. deprecated.)
submit unmap physicalnode logicalnode
submit unmapAll
wait [maxmillis (0==infinite) [, cmdid]]
waitForNodesActive [maxmillis (0==infinite) [, node[, ...]]]
waitForNodesDone [maxmillis (0==infinite) [, node[, ...]]]